Petunia plant named ‘Sunsurf Kitatsu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Sunsurf Kitatsu’, characterized by its compact, mounding and trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; large pale yellow green-colored flowers with darker yellow green-colored venation; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNSURF KITATSU’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunsurf Kitatsu’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely branching and freely flowering Petunia plants with a compact, mounding and trailing plant habit and numerous large attractive flowers.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in July, 2007 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number Px1634-02, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number Pf919-02, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in June, 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since June, 2008 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunsurf Kitatsu’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunsurf Kitatsu’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, mounding and trailing plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Large pale yellow green-colored flowers with darker yellow         green-colored venation.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more compact than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia are more mounding than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have light yellow-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are broader than plants of the male         parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia are more trailing than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia and the male parent selection         differ in flower petal shape as plants of the male parent         selection have flower petals with obtuse-shaped apices.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia ‘Sunsurf Kiusa’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,594. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Petunia and ‘SunsurfKiusa’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were taller and broader than plants         of ‘Sunsurf Kiusa’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia had smaller leaves than plants of         ‘Sunsurf Kiusa’.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia are more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Sunsurf Kiusa’.     -   4. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Sunsurf Kiusa’ differed         slightly in flower color.     -   5. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Sunsurf Kiusa’ differed in         flower petal shape as plants of ‘Sunsurf Kiusa’ had flower         petals with mucronate-shaped apices.     -   6. Plants of the new Petunia had longer peduncles than plants of         ‘Sunsurf Kiusa’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunsurf Kitatsu’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunsurf Kitatsu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Petunia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Sunsurf Kitatsu’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code number Px1634-02, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Petunia×hybrida identified as code number Pf919-02, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at             temperatures of about 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About three weeks at temperatures of about 15° C. to             20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Compact, mounding and trailing             plant habit; freely branching habit with numerous lateral             branches developing per plant; pinching enhances lateral             branch development; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 23 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 58.9 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 22.7 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2.1 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.9 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.         -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 144A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 2.7 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 138A; venation, close to 144B. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B; venation,             close to N144C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 4.7 mm. Diameter: About 1.3 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers             arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering habit with             usually about 48 flowers developing per plant; flowers face             upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of             the new Petunia initiate and develop flowers about three to             four weeks after planting; long flowering period, flowering             commences naturally during the spring and plants flower             continuously throughout the summer until late autumn in             Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten             days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5.5 cm.         -   Flower length (depth).—About 5 cm.         -   Throat diameter.—About 1.1 cm.         -   Tube diameter, base.—About 2.7 mm.         -   Tube length.—About 3.25 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4.4 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.             Shape: Cylindrical. Color: Close to 150D.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and             opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:             About 2.1 cm. Petal width: About 2.4 cm. Petal shape:             Spatulate. Petal apex: Cuspidate, sinuate. Petal margin:             Entire, undulate. Petal texture, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous. Petal texture, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous.             Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Petal, when opening, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 150D; venation, close to 150A. Petal,             fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 150D;             venation, close to 150A. Throat: Close to 3A; venation,             close to 3A. Tube: Close to 149D; venation, close to 149C.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals in a single whorl and fused at the base. Sepal             length: About 1.1 cm. Sepal width: About 3.1 mm. Sepal             shape: Narrowly elliptic. Sepal apex: Obtuse, narrow. Sepal             margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent. Color: Developing and fully developed sepals,             upper surface: Close to 138A. Developing and fully developed             sepals, lower surface: Close to 139C; towards the base,             close to N144D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1.9 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Semi-upright. Texture: Pubescent.             Color: Close to 143C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Stamen length: About 2.1 cm to 2.5 cm. Anther shape:             Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 2 mm by 2.4 mm. Anther             color: Close to 3D. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:             Close to 11B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 2.4 cm. Style color: Close to 144D. Stigma             shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma color: Close to             144B. Ovary color: Close to 144C. Seeds and fruits: Seed and             fruit development have not been observed on plants of the             new Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Sunsurf Kitatsu’ as illustrated and described. 